20. AS STATED IN THE WHITE PAPER, THE ELECTORAL LEGISLATION IS BEING DRAFTED, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, ALONG THE LINES OF THE EXISTING ELECTORAL PROVISIONS ORDINANCE, WHICH HAS PROVED TO BE GENERALLY
ADEQUATE FOR THE CONDUCT OF DISTRICT BOARD AND URBAN COUNCIL
ELECTIONS. THE LEGISLATION NOW BEING DRAFTED WILL COVER SUCH
MATTERS AS THE QUALIFICATIONS TO BE A VOTER, THE QUALIFICATIONS
TO BE A CANDIDATE, THE METHODS BY WHICH THE ELECTORAL ROLLS FOR
THE VARIOUS CONSTITUENCIES WILL BE DRAWN UP AND THE PROCEDURES FOR
CONDUCTING THE ELECTIONS. IT WILL ALSO LAY DOWN THE DETAILED
COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES.
21. THE ELECTIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, IN
SIMILAR FASHION TO THAT IN WHICH THE DISTRICT BOARD AND URBAN
COUNCIL ELECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED ALREADY SEMICOLON AND, OF COURSE,
VOTING WILL BE BY SECRET BALLOT.
22. THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO PUBLISH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
(ELECTORAL PROVISIONS) BILL IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE FOR PUBLIC
INFORMATION, AND TO INTRODUCE IT INTO THIS COUNCIL FOR DEBATE, WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, SUBJECT, OF COURSE, TO THE PRIOR
APPROVAL OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
CONCLUSION
23. SIR, I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE PLANS AND INTENTIONS DESCRIBED IN
THE WHITE PAPER WILL SET US FIRMLY ON THE ROAD TOWARDS MEETING OUR
STATED OBJECTIVES OF ROOTING THE AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF
HONG KONG FIRMLY IN THE COMMUNITY, OF BUILDING UPON EXISTING
INSTITUTIONS IN SUCH A WAY AS TO DEVELOP AN ACCEPTABLE AND
RESPECTED CHANNEL FOR THE AUTHORITATIVE EXPRESSION OF THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE, OF THEREBY MAKING THE GOVERNMENT MORE DIRECTLY
AND SEEN TO BE MORE DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND ULTIMATELY, THEREFORE, OF PREPARING THE COMMUNITY AS A
WHOLE FOR THE FUTURE. ACCORDINGLY, I COMMEND THEM TO THIS COUNCIL.
YOUDE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER) PS
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR W HARD ING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
COPIES TO:(VIA ADR) MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
OFFICE
MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE
SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST
MR J CROWLEY, PUSD
-S
CONTIDENTIAL
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